Climb your mountain from the ground up.
Educational guided hikes that prepare you to get outside safely, and teach you the tools to feel empowered on the trails after your guided experience.
Ground Up Adventures was born out of frustration with the lack of educational resources for aspiring outdoor enthusiasts.
With a strong belief that the outdoors is for everyone, and should be an accessible space, we bridge the gap: equipping you with the knowledge, gear, skills, and confidence to make adventures safe, enjoyable, and approachable for all. Whether you're a first-time hiker or looking to level up your wilderness skills, we guide you every step of the way so you feel self-reliant and confident on every adventure thereafter. Every trip is designed to meet you where you're at, customized just for YOU.
Some Things We Teach
The Sawatch Range
Spanning 100 miles, the Sawatch Range is home to more 14,000-ft peaks than the entire state of California, or any other Rocky Mountain range. With deep roots in the gold and silver rushes, ghost towns, and the highest incorporated city in the U.S. at Leadville, it's a magnet for adventure.
Meet The Team
Shelby Mann
A professional hiking guide and outdoor educator in the Land of Giants, Buena Vista, Colorado. Eight years and thousands of miles in, most of them as a solo female hiker, she's here to show you how special nature is and equip you to explore on your own.
Frankie Spontelli
An experienced outdoor guide and landscape photographer based in Buena Vista. His work has appeared with National Geographic, Outside, Backpacker, and REI, but his heart always leads back to Colorado's iconic ranges and alpine lakes.